Automobile signal



Jan. 12 1926. 1,569,053

F. M. WALZ ET AL.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

Filed April 28, 1924 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 12 .1.

F. M. WALZ ET AL AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed'April 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 21309.5. i0 45 Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

assess FFHQE.

FREDERICK M. WALZ AND CHARLES J. WALZ, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK AUTOMOBILESIGNAL.

Application filed April 28, 1924. Serial No 709,462.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK M.

VALZ and CHARLES J. \VALZ, citizens of the llnited States, residing atBuffalo, in the county of Erie and State of ilew York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Signals,of which the following is a specification.

Uur invention relates to im orovements in automobile signals, such asindicate to a driver of a vehicle following, any intentional change tobe made in speed or in the course pursued by the driver of the vehiclehaving the device applied thereto.

This invention is an improvement on our co-pending application filedJune 17, 1922, Serial No. 569,008, and allowed December 12, 1923, and ithas for its object to simplify the construction therein disclosed, toreduce the cost of production, and to provide a more compact mechanismwith a view of diminishing the size of the signal.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel features of constructon, and in the arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out inthe subioined claims.

In the drawings Fi 1 is a rear elevation of the signal considered asapplied to an automobile.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 22, Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on line 83, Fig. 2',looking in the direction of the arrow crossing said line.

Fig. 4-. is a detached perspective view of the signal actuator.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 1.

Fig. (3 is a longitudinal section taken on line (3 6, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view of one of the signal members.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 designatesa casing, which may be of any approved construction and. formation. Thecasing herein shown has a ,main portion or mechanism chamber 11, and asmaller depending light chamber The main casing comprises a omi d Walls1 a fr nt wall 16, a rear wall 17, which extends downwardly beneath thebottom 13, and below said bottom is diminished in length and rounded toform the rear wall of the light chamber 12. The front and rear walls 16,17, respectively, are connected at the top by a crowned top wall 18,which extends from end wall to end wall. The light chamber 12 has afront wall 19v conforming to the lowerdepending portion of the rear wall17, and its side and bottom walls, designated by the numeral 20, areformed of a continuous piece whose lower portion is made convexexteriorly and whose upper portions are concaved andfmerge into theplane of the bottom 13 of the main casing. The bottom 13 of the maincasing is provided with a light opening 21 between the mechanism chamberor main casing 11 and the light chamber or casing 12.

Directly above the plane of the bottom 13, an elongated sight opening 22is formed in the rear wall, and this opening has a pane of transparentglass 23 fitted thereinto. In the rear wall of the light chamber orcasing, a circular opening 24 is provided in which is fitted a pane ofred glass 25. Fitted into the front wall 19 of the light chamber orcasing is a bulb socket 26 to which is connected a current conductingwire 27 which leads to a battery or other source of electricity, andsecured in said socket is an electric lamp or bulb .28, the same beingpositioned directly in front of the red pane of glass 25, which latter,takenin conjunction with said lamp or bulb, is adapted to serve as thetail lamp of an automobile.

Arranged within the main casing 11 and fastened tothe bottom 13 thereofis a support 29 in the form of a flat plate having a flange 30 at itslower end through which screws are passed to fasten said support to saidbottom. Said support extends upwardly from the bottom and has a verticalslot 31 therein midway between its ends. Extending rearwardly from saidsupport are two brackets 32, one being arranged near each end of saidsupport. Positioned between said bracket are two spacedvertically-disposed guides 33 grooved along their inner edges, as at3 1. These guides are fastened to the support 29 by means of pins 35, oro h wise e tend g is liield y from a d support, one pin being positionednear the upper end of each guide, and another near the lower endthereof.

Slidably fitted in said guides is a stepped actuator 01' plate 36, thesteps being formed by cutting an irregularly shaped notch 37 into saidactuator or. plate from the lower ed e thereof, the lower edge of saidplate at one end thereof and each of the steps forming contact edges,which are designated 38, 39, 40, and 4-1., respectively, such stepsbeing formed by deepening the notch 37 at regular intervals alongthelengt-h thereof.

Secured to sail aeuator plate near its upper edge and preferablycentrally between its ends is an angular rod 42, which is con structedto extend forwardly from said plate through the slot 31 in the support29 and thence at a right angle to extend downwardly parallelwith thefront surface of said support. Said guide rod is guided in said slot 31and in a guide lug 43 extending forwardly from said support directly beneath said slot. The'lower end of said rod normally projects ashortdistance beneath said lug and is threaded. A stop collar 4A is appliedtosaid lower threaded end and has a perforated lug 45 extending dowirwardly therefrom and a' similar lug 46 extendin laterally.

To t 1e lug 45a cord or wire 47 is secured, which is directed downwardlythrough an opening 4-8 in the bottom 13 and passes around a guide pulley49 secured in brackets 50 fastened to the under side of said bottomdirectly forward of said opening. Said cord or wire extends forwardlyfrom said. pulley and is adapted to be actuated from the drivers seat ofan automobile.

A retractile spring 51 is provided within the mechanism casing, one endthereof being fastened to the lateral lug 46 at the lower end of saidguide rod and the other end to the casing, as at 52. Said spring actsto" keep the guide rod 3]. and actuator or plate 36 secured thereto inelevated posit-ion with the collar lat bearing against the under side ofthe guide lug Journaled in the brackets 32 extending rearwardly from thesupport 29 is a spindle 53 on which all but one of the signalingelements are arranged to swing. In the drawings we have shown foursignaling elements and also a shutter adaptel to conceal the signalingelements from view through the sight opening 22, said signaling elementsand the shutter'being normally alined with said sight opening. Theshutter is designated" by'the' mimeral "54, while the signaling elementsare designated 55, 56, 57, 58, res ectively. he signaling elements am"57 are pivotally'mountech'as' will he hereinafter set forth, while thesignaling element o'b is a fixed element and comprises a fiat plateextending lengthwise and having a securing flange 59 at its lower end.through which screws 60 are passed for fastening said plate to thebottom of the mechanism chamber. This fixed signaling element is theforemost of the series.

The shutter 54: comprises a plate somewhat wider and longer than thesight opening'22 in the casing, and this plate is painted black orconstructed of some dark material so when positioned in front of theglazed sight opening 22, the interior of the mechanism chamber will havethe appearance of being perfectly dark. The exterior of the casing ispreferably -paint-ed black so that from a distance the shutter willappear as forming part of the casing. At opposite ends of the shutter orplate 54, forwardly extending supporting arms 61 are provided, theterminals of which are loosely fitted over the spindle 53. Positionedbetween said arms and extending rearwardly from said shutter is anactuating lever 62, which is pivotally mounted on the spindle 53 and hasan engaging ortion 63 extending forwardly beyond said spindle andunderneath the lowermost engaging edge or step 38 of the actuator orplate 36. The signaling ele ments 55, 56, 57, and 58 are notcherhas at64:, said notches being alined, and through these alined nojtches'theactuating lever 62 extends.

The signaling elements are arranged forward of the shutter and are madeprogressively shorter. The foremost signaling el.e ment 58, as stated,is fixed or immovable while the remaining signaling elements be tweensaid fixed element and the shutter are each rovided withforwardly-extending arms (55, each of which has its terminal looselymounted on the spindle 53. All signaling elements in rear of the fixedor immovable sig gnaling element are therefore pivotally arranged andthey are provided between their ends with actuating levers 66, (57, 69,respectively, each of which is pivotally mounted on the spindle 53 andhas a forwardly-extending engaging portion 69. The signaling members 56,57, 58 are provided with alined note 16S through which the actuatinglever of the signaling element is passed. The signaling elements 57 and58 are also provided with additional alined notches 7.1. through whichthe actuating lever of the signaling element 56 is passed, and theimmovable signaling element 58 is further provided with a notchTZ'thr'ough which the actuating lover of the signaling element 57passed. The actuating levers are therefore disposed in the samehorizontal plane and the signaling elements and shutter are slightlyspaced apart in parallel relation. The engaging portion at the frontendof the actuating lever 67 is positioned underneath the second lowest.engaging edge'or step 39 of the actuator or platefifi, and the engagingportion at the front end of the actuating lever 67 is positionedundereanth the third lowest engaging edge or step 40 of the actuator orplate 36, while the engaging portion at the front end of the actuatinglever 68 is positioned underneath the uppermost engaging edge or step llof said actu ator or plate 36.

On the ends of the spindle 53 and bearing againsl the outer sides of thearms (51, collars 73 are fastened and like collars 74 are fastened tosaid spindle and bear against the inner sides of the innermost arms 65extending rearwardly from the signaling element 57. Between each of thearms 61 and the adjacent arms 65 projecting from the signaling element53, and also between 'he arms 65 of the several signaling elements,spacing sleeves 7-5 are arranged, said sleeves being mounted on thespindle 53. The actuating arms 62 and 68 are spaced from the brackets 32by comparatively long sleeves 76, and the several actuating arms arespaced from each other by spacing sleeves 77.

Due to the fact that the actuating levers are in horizontal alinementand the engaging edges or steps of the actuator or plate 36 are indifferent horizontal positions, the lowering of said actuator plate willcause it to be engaged successively with the actuating levers 62, 66,67, 68. ll ith all parts in normal positions, the signaling elements aredisposed one in front of the other with the shutter member in rear ofsaid signaling ele ments so as to-conceal the same from the rear. \Vhilewe have shown four signaling elements, the number of these may bechanged, if desired, depending on the number of difierent si nals whichit is desired to ve with the device. It is, of course, under- .ood thatthe actuator or plate 36 will be provided with a number of actuatingedges or steps conforming to the number of pivoted plates used as ashutter member and signaling elements. As now arranged it is intendedthat the 'Z'oremost or fixed signaling element 58 shall bear the wordRight; the signaling element 5? directly in rear and spaced therefrom,the word left; the signaling element directly in rear of the leftsignaling element, the word Stop, while the signaling element- 55between the stop signaling element and the shutter may bear the wordCaution which caution signaling element is to is used when it desired toreduce the speed of the automobile to which the devire is applied, orwhen it is desired to caution the driver of an automobile in rear,preparatory to giving a further signal, suc as Stop, Right or lieftf noactuator or plate 8 and the guide rod 31 with necessary adjuncts maybeconsidered the actuating means or mechanism of the device, While thecord or wire 4-? with its the cord or wire at? can be easily controlled.

Consec uentl when it is desired to ive n e notice that it is theintention oi: the driver to reduce speed, orlater give another signal,

said cord or wire will be drawn forwardly a- PIQClGtGlHllDQ-{l and knowndistance, whereupon the guide rod 31 will be drawn downwardly, with theresult that the actuator plate 36 will move downwardly and cause thelowermost engaging edge or step 38 thereof to lower the forward orengaging portion of the actuating lever 62 on the shutter. This willcause the shutter to be swung from its normal or lowered posi,-on, shownin full lines in Fig. 2, to its elevated position, or that shown indotted line"; exposing the rearniost signal element bearing the wordCautioif through the sight opening. This will bring the next engagingedge or step 89 of the actuator or plate 36 in contact with or in closeproximity to the engaging portion of the actuating lever 66 on saidcaution elenent, but no actuation of said signaling element takes place.If, however, it desired to expose the signaling element 56 hearing theword Stop, said cord or wire 4'? will be drawn forwardly to a greaterwith the result that said eng step 39 will depress the engaging port onof the actuating lever 66. This wil can rearmost or caution signalingelement to be elevated in the same manner as the sh ter, therebyexposing the aling element 56 bearing the word Stop .rough the si htopening. lVhen the shutter and the caution signal element 55 are swunginto elevated position, the next engaging edge or step 40 on theactuator or plate 36 will be in contact with, or close proximity to, theengaging portion at the front end of the actuating lever 67 extendingforwardly flOll'l the stop signaling element 56. If, therefore, the cordor wire 47 is drawn forwardly to a somewhat greater extent, saidengaging edge or step 40 will depress the engaging portion of saidactuating lever 67 and cause the stop signaling element to be swungupwardly, thereby exposing the signaling element hearing the word Rightthrough the glazed sight opening 22.

When the shutter 54 and the signaling elements 55, 56 are elevated, theuppermost engaging edge or step 41 of the actuator or plate 36 is incontact with, or in close proximity to, the engaging portion at the"front endof the actuating lever 68 extending forwardly from the leftsignaling element- 57, and when drawing upon the cord or wire to asomewhat greater extent, said engaging edge or step 41 will cause theengaging portion of said actuating lever to be de pressed so as toelevate the foremost movable or right signaling element and expose theimmovable or rigid signaling element 58 hearing the word Right throughthe glazed sight opening.

It is of course to be umlerstood that the cord or wire need notnecessarily be moved step by step since if the signaling element bearingthe word Left is to be exposed through the glazed sight opening, thecord or wire will be drawn upon to an extent to cause the shutter andthe two rearmost sig naling elements and 56 to be swung upwardly insuccession, and during a continuous downward movement of the actuator orshutter plate, this being also the case when any other signal to begiven.

' It is of course understood that the spring 51 connected to the guiderod l2 serves at all times to return the actuator or plate 36 to itsnormal or elevated position and retain the same in such position.

With a view of drawing the shutter and movable signaling elementsdownwardly after being elevated and the actuator or plate 36 iselevated, a retractile spring 78 is provided, which is secured at itslower end to to the bottom. 31 of the casing and with its upper end oneof the arms 61, extending forwardly from opposite ends of the shut ter,as at 79, and due to the fact that the actuating lever 62 of saidshutter extends forwardly therefrom over the top of the s nailingelements, said lever will cause all elevated movable signaling elementsto be lowered with said shutter. Said spring 8 also serves to hold thelower edges of said shutter and movable signaling elements in contactwith the bottom 13 of the casing and prevent rattling when the vehicleto which the device is applied is traveling over rough or uneven roads.

i i reason of the opening 2.! in the bottom 1 of the mechanism chan'lbcror main was inn, the rays of l ght from the lamp l in the dependinglight chamber l2 a e d rected. upwardly and serve to illuminale any ofthe signaling elements that may be exposed by manipulation of the cord 4so that the word ti aution," Stop," Left or Right, depending on themanipulation of the device, will be seen through the ed sight openingHaving thus described what we claim is 1. An automobile signal having apin rality of signaling elements arranged one in our invention,

front of another, a reciprocating actuating element to successivelyengage said signal ing elements, and asingle manipulating element foractuating said reciprocating actuating element for selectivelydisplaying any of said signaling elements.

2. An automobile signal having a rigid signaling element and a pluralityof pivotally-mounted signaling elements arranged one in front of anotherand positioned in rear of said rigid signaling element, a shutter memberfor concealing said signaling elements, and means for manipulating saidshutter member and displaying the desired signaling element, said meansincluding a reciprocating member successively engaging said shuttermember and said pivotallymounted signaling elements, and a singlemanipulating element for actuating said reciprocating member.

3. An automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, ashutter member normally exposed through said sight opening, a pluralityof signaling elements concealed by said shutter member, andreciprocating means for actuating said shutter member and displaying anyone of said signaling elements.

4L. An automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, ashutter member normally exposed through said sight opening, a pluralityof signaling elements normally concealed by said shutter member, andmeans including a vertically 1m reciprocating element adapted forsuccessive engagement with said shutter member and signaling elements tosuccessively expose said signaling elements through said sight opening.

5. An automobile signal, comprisil'ig a casing having a sight opening, aplurality of pivotallyunounted spaced signaling elements arranged inparallelism, a single stepped actuating member adapted for reciprocatingmovement and in operative relation to all of said signaling elements.and a manipulating element for manipulating said actuating member tocause the same to successively expose said signaling elements.

(3. An automobile signal, conn rising a casing having a sight opening, aplurality of signaling elements adapted to be displayu l through saidsight opening, :1 stepped actuating member arranged for rcciprm-atingmovementaniil in operative relation to said signaling elements, each ofsaid signaling elements being adapted to be operated during a portion ofthe moven'ient of said actuating member, and a single element for movingsaid actuating member to any desircijl extent.

7. A11 automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, aplurality of signaling elements arranged one. in front of another andadapted to be displayed successively through said sight opening, anactuating member having engaging steps in dillerent horizontal planesand adapted for vertically reciprocating movement, each actuating stepbeing operatively related to one of said signaling elements, and meansfor moving said actuating member to any desired extent.

8. An automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, aplurality of signaling elements normally in line with said sight openingand arranged for movement consecutively, a depending tail-light adaptedto direct rays of light upwardly against said signaling elements whenexposed tl'irough said sight opening, and means for selectivelydisplaying said signaling elements.

9. An automobile signal, comprising a plurality of signaling plates,each plate having forwardly-extending arms pivotally mounted and anactuating lever, and a vertically reciprocated stepped member adapted tohave its steps successively actuate eachof said actuating levers.

10. An automobile signal, comprising a casin having a sight opening, aseries of pivoted flat signaling elements arranged one in rear ofanother, an actuating lever for each signaling element pivotally securedbetween its ends, a vertically reciprocating stepped actuator adapted tohave its steps successively engage said actuating levers at one side oftheir pivotal points, means for manually lowering said actuator, andmeans for automatically elevating said actuator.

11. An automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, aplurality of signaling plates arranged one in rear of an other andprovided with forwardly-extending arms at opposite ends pivotallymounted at their front ends, each plate having a pivoted actuating leverWhose pivot is coincident with the pivots of said arms, a reciprocatingmember provided with leverengaging parts arranged in different planes tocause successive actuation of said actuating levers, and means foractuating said reciprocating member to any desired extent.

12. An automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, aplurality of signaling plates arranged one in rear of another and eachhaving forwardly extending arms at opposite ends pivotally secured, thearms of said signaling plates having their axes coincident,forwardly-extending actuating levers on said plates pivotally securedbetween their ends in alinement with the pivots of said arms, avertically-reciprocating actuating plate having an irregular shapednotch extending inwardly from its lower end to provide lever-engagingportions in different horizontal planes, each lever-engaging portionbeing adapted to engage one of said actuating levers, manual means forlowering said actuating plate to any desired extent, and means forreturning said actuating plate to normal position.

13. An automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, asignaling element in fixed position within said casing forward of saidsight opening, a plurality of movable signaling elements between saltfixed signaling element and said sight opening, each of said movablesignalingelements having foiwvardly-extending arms at opposite endspivotally mounted at their forward ends with the pivots of all of saidarms in alinement, actuating levers extending torwardly from saidmovable signaling elements between the arms thereof and piv otallymounted between their ends in aline ment with the pivots of said arms, avertically-reciprocating actuating plate having stepped lever-engagingportions, each lever engaging portion to engage a single actuatinglever, an angular guide rod connected to said actuating plate, a springconnected to said guide rod to hold the same elevated, and manipulatingcord connected to said guide rod to lower the same to any desiredextent.

141. In an automobile signal, a plurality of movable signaling elementshaving parts projecting therefrom, vertically-recipro eating actuatingplate having stepped engaging portions, the steps of which are arrangedin diiterent horizontal planes and adapted to successively engage saidprojecting parts for moving said signaling elements, means for loweringsaid actuating plate to any desired extent, and means for automaticallyreturning said actuating plate to elevated position.

15. An automobile signal, comprising a plurality of pivoted signalingelements having parts projecting therefrom, a reciproeating memberprovided with engaging parts spaced different distances from theprojecting parts of said signaling elements and adapted to successivelyengage said pro jecting parts at ditlerent portions of the movement ofsaid reciprocating member in one direction, means for moving saidreciprocating member in said direction to any desired extent, and meansfor automatically moving said reciprocating member in the oppositedirection.

16. An automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, aplurality of signaling plates arranged one in rear of another andnormally in line with said sight opening, said plates being providedwith pivotally mounted actuating elements, a reciprocating memberadapted to sucessively engage said actuating elements and cause saidsignaling plates to move in one dire tion, and means to automaticallyretain said signaling plates in normal position and to Eli) return thesame to normal position after being moved by said reciprocating member.

17'. An. illittOll'lObllG signal, comprising a casing having a sightopening, a support within said casi having a vertical slot therein,spaced ver tical guides supported by said support and in parallelrelation thereto, an actuating plate guided "for vertical movement insaid guides and having str ed lever-engaging portions arranger indifferent horizontal planes, a plurality of signaling elements in rearof said sup port haw" 1g actuating levers extending iterwardlytherefrom, said levers being adapted to be succe sively engaged by thestepped lever-engaging portions of said aetua' g plate, a guiee rodsecured at one end to tie upper end of said actuating platt and e**tending forward y through the slot of said support and thence downwardlyparallel. with said support, a guide element on said support in whichthe lower end of said rod is guided, a .i'nanipulating cord securedv tothe lower end of said rod and adapted to draw the same downwardly to anydesired extent, said actuating plate l'ieing drawn downwardly with saidrod to successively actuate said signaling elements, and means to returnsaid rod, actuating plate and signaling elements to normal positionafter releasing said cord.

18. An automobile signal, comprising a casing having a sight opening, aplurality of movable signaling elements in front of said sight openinghaving forwardly extending actuating levers pivotally secured betweentheir ends to provide engaging ,ortio s in advance of the pivotal pointsthereof, a support within said casing in front of said signalingelements comprisa plate exte' ling upuutrdly from the bottom of saidcasiiig and having a vertical slot at its upper end, a pair of spacedvertical guides in rear of said support and car ried thereby, anactuating plate guided for movement in said guides and having engagingportions in different horizontal planes to successively engage theengaging portions of said actuating levers for actuating id signalingelements, a guide rod in itront ot said support having arearwardlyextending portion at its upper end passed tlirough the slot otsaid support and tastoned to said actuating plate, guide means on saidsupport by means of which and the slot in said support said guide rod isguided, said guide rod having a collar secured to its lower end adaptedto bear against said guide means, a spring to hold said guide rodelevated and to draw said collar against said guide means, and aflexible manipulating element secured to said collar and extendingdownwardly through the bottom of said casing and thence forwardly forconveniently manipulating the signaling elements from a distant point. 7

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

FREDERICK M. \VALZ. CHARLES J. WALZ.

